Wireless communication devices transmit and receive information wirelessly via a wireless access node to communicate over a communication network. Typically, the wireless access node is part of a radio access network (RAN) which provides the wireless communication devices with access to further communication networks, systems, and devices. The wireless communication devices utilize forward link communication channels to receive voice and/or data transmitted from the wireless access node, and reverse link communication channels to transmit information up to the node.
In fourth generation (4G) long term evolution (LTE) communication systems, a wireless communication device is referred to as user equipment (UE), while a wireless access node is called an enhanced node B (eNodeB). In LTE systems, handovers are controlled by the network but receive assistance from the UE. For intra-LTE mobility, the eNodeB is not required to provide a neighbor list to the UE. Instead, the UE performs measurements of reference signal received power (RSRP) and reference signal received quality (RSRQ) of surrounding candidate cells. Typically, based on predefined events, the UE would start sending measurement reports to a serving eNodeB that include RSRP and RSRQ values of all the candidate cells. The eNodeB then uses the information in the measurement report to make and execute a handover decision for the UE. In this manner, the UE assists the eNodeB in making the handover decision, but also uses a substantial amount of reverse link bandwidth to send the measurement reports.
Overview
A method of operating a wireless communication device to facilitate a handover from a serving sector to a candidate sector in a wireless communication network is disclosed. The method comprises measuring reference signal received power (RSRP) values and reference signal received quality (RSRQ) values of a plurality of candidate sectors. The method further comprises determining a greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors. The method further comprises, if the greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors falls below a power threshold, transferring the RSRP values of the candidate sectors and one of the RSRQ values associated with a strongest candidate sector having a greatest RSRP value of the candidate sectors. The method further comprises, if the greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors exceeds the power threshold, transferring the RSRP values of the candidate sectors.
A wireless communication device to facilitate a handover from a serving sector to a candidate sector in a wireless communication network comprises a wireless communication transceiver and a processing system. The wireless communication transceiver is configured to measure reference signal received power (RSRP) values and reference signal received quality (RSRQ) values of a plurality of candidate sectors. The processing system is configured to determine a greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors, and if the greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors falls below a power threshold, direct the wireless communication transceiver to transfer the RSRP values of the candidate sectors and one of the RSRQ values associated with a strongest candidate sector having a greatest RSRP value of the candidate sectors. The processing system is further configured to, if the greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors exceeds the power threshold, direct the wireless communication transceiver to transfer the RSRP values of the candidate sectors.
A computer apparatus to facilitate a handover from a serving sector to a candidate sector in a wireless communication network is disclosed. The computer apparatus comprises software instructions and at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing the software instructions. The software instructions are configured, when executed by a wireless communication device, to direct the wireless communication device to measure reference signal received power (RSRP) values and reference signal received quality (RSRQ) values of a plurality of candidate sectors, determine a greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors, if the greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors falls below a power threshold, transfer the RSRP values of the candidate sectors and one of the RSRQ values associated with a strongest candidate sector having a greatest RSRP value of the candidate sectors, and if the greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors exceeds the power threshold, transfer the RSRP values of the candidate sectors.